My Porsche broke down on the freeway yesterday...

[Emission]

Last week, I took my 930 to a shop for the first time. After nearly two years of home maintenance, I decided to let someone else do my valve adjustment and plugs (I did my distributor cap and rotor the night before I took it to the shop).

I got the car from the shop, and it ran well. I drove it home, parked it in the garage, then forgot about it for a few days. Over last weekend, I backed it out to wash it. It sputtered (missed firing) a few times... it never did that before. After washing, I drove it around the block and it stalled... hmmm. It started again, but was still missing. I figured I sprayed water somewhere and I needed to let it dry. The car went back into the garage for another five days.

Yesterday, I decided to take the car on an errand about 15 miles from home. On the way there, I was easy on the car (never went above 4000 rpm or into boost) as I wanted everything warmed up. It ran flawlessly.

On the way back, with everything at operating temps, I floored it on a long freeway onramp and went hard into boost. Pedal to the floor, I neared 6500 RPM in 2nd gear (80 mph)... all of a sudden there was a loud BANG and the car went dead. I coasted for about 1/2 a mile (remember, I was doing 80 mph) then pulled over on the shoulder.

Hmmm... I collected my thoughts then turned the car over again. It would start, then idle really rough, backfire... then die. It did this a couple times then it finally failed for fire again. Considering there was no use killing the battery in a futile attempt to get it started (I had lost confidence anyway - I wasn't going to limp home) I pulled out my mobile phone and called AAA towing.

After towing was arranged, I climbed out and took a look at the engine. Nothing looked strange. Thankfully, there were no new oil leaks underneith - it all looked perfect.

A flatbed arrived within 15 minutes to "rescue" me and take the car back to the shop.

Once at the shop (1 hour after the breakdown) the car started and idled flawlessly.

The mechanic thinks it is electrical - either the ignition coil (replaced only 11,000 miles ago) or a thin metal wire below it (name escapes me) that sends a signal to the ignition for the engine to fire. That stuff does get "molested" when you are fiddling with the cap, rotor, and intercooler (removed to access the former) - maybe it is just shorting out.

In hindsight, the loud BANG I heard was a backfire - not the engine exploding. According to my wrench, this would be consistent with an electrical issue on the ignition.

Any other thoughts?

(Wonderful pic of my baby on a flatbed - I hadn't had a vehicle towed in nearly 15 years!)

[vash]

you described what my car was doing. (sometimes) i even had the same towtruck experience. thank god my friend had AAA. turned out my sparkplug wires sucked. nice car!

[Emission]

Tech just called. He said it was the "Distributor Lead" wire that was bad (old and cruddy). He replaced it, and the car runs fine.

I've got a 850-mile roadtrip in the Porsche next weekend (Death Valley!), so let's hope this solved the problem.

[Rufblackbird]

this also happened to me once...but without a really loud bang. The ground wire to the coil fell apart from the connector and the car just died. Luckily I had a leatherman on me and just kinda sorta pinched it together.

[Emission]

This is my old "Distributor Lead" wire. It is actually a wire within a wire. You can see age, heat, and repeated movement have really taken a toll on this old part. The inner and outer strands are exposed and touching (supposed to be sealed into the plug). Obviously, the distributor won't have any of that behavior!

$292 later (parts and labor), my car is back home happy.

[n8marx]

I love white 911s. Even on a trailer your 930 looks great.

Anyone out there wanna trade a white 911 for my black one?

[makaio]

That's one of those items you don't think about, untill it's usually too late. At least it was a simple fix.

Mine on my SC looked much like yours. After replacing it, it ran much better.

And your car looks good too!

[jryerson]

Ouch, $22 wire, you do need to remove the distributor to replace it

I had the same thing happen to my 930, the car cut out right in the middle of an intersection and I had to get out and push it.

The wire grounds out on the fan housing and then a loud bang- engine quits, sounds like a backfire or gun firing

[Emission]

The intercooler has to come out (par for the course on a 930) to get to it.

More pics of my white car on a flatbed (doesn't it look small on that truck?). Painful for the owner...

[azasadny]

Emission,

That had to be painful, I hope everything is OK now!

[pwd72s]

Years ago, I had a '70 911T die...engine fire, those stupid in the plastic housing cold start squirters malfunctioned, and were the cause. A friend with a track speedster kindly offered me a trailer tow. Going up to Portland, we stopped for gas. The pump jockey kid asked why such a nice car was on the trailer...my quick witted speedster owning friend said: "Because it's a hell of a lot easier than pushing it.". Groan....and so sadly true.

[Danskman]

Emission...

While I've had my engine out for the last month or so, I've noticed several electircal connections that have deteriorated similarly to the one you experienced. I have been splicing and soldering them. They connectors get brittle and the wiring gets stiff and corroded. They seem to be fine, until they are moved or unplugged, then the trouble starts. I guess that's the penalty for the age of our cars. Still good quality materials and workmanship, but age does take its toll.

[mjshira]

I went through hell last year trying to find a simular mystery problem. turns out that my DME had gotten wet before I owned the car, after replacing all the senors, coil and relays I finally dropped yet more cash on a rebuilt DME. As soon as I got the car on the road its been perfect!

James

[Por_sha911]

You have a beautiful car there (in my totally unbiased opinion). Of course its painful seeing up on the tow-truck. You have to wonder how bad your baby is hurt (and what it will cost when you get to the doctor),

[KevinP73]

I would imagine very little could make a tow truck driver more paranoid than a Porsche owner driving behind him taking pictures the entire way back to the garage. You have to admit though, it sure looks great even if it is on a flatbed.

[Sonic dB]

White 911s look sweet.

[Oracle]

Hi,
Does anyone have the part number?
I'm trying to find "Distributor Lead" on the Pelican catalog but no luck..
I'll check the infamous part in the car and maybe buy a new one.

Thanks
-J

[Emission]

I couldn't find it in the Pelican catalog either. It attaches to the side of the distributor - so I thought it would be in that section.

[expat]

Emission, Glad you got it fixed easily. At first, as I was reading, it started to sound bad.

I too have had a similar experience on a freeway, including flatbedding. Sort of humiliating, as I was riding in the truck and everyone looks at the 'poser in the Porsche' having his car trucked around

Did someone say white 911's rock? I agree!!

[expat]

Oops ...forgot the gratuitous photos...





Both my babies have been flatbedded at some time